Danger on the Mountain (13 page)

Reese said to give him a few minutes to finish things up and he’d be in. He’d also called someone to come over to patch up the window that had been shattered by the bullets. Maggie had gotten Belle to sleep with very little trouble, but she was afraid the hammering and banging would soon wake her. She’d practically had to pry the baby out of Shannon’s arms to put her to sleep. “But I haven’t seen her in six months,” she’d whined. “I’m playing catch-up for all the time I lost with her and she’s had a rough night. Let me put her down.”

“No.” Maggie had needed to hold Belle, needed her reassuring weight in her arms, her soft baby breath blowing on her neck. “She needs her mother tonight.”

So Shannon had agreed with a grimace then glanced at her watch and gave a low shriek. “I’ve got to go.”

“What? Where?” Maggie frowned. How could the woman think about going somewhere after all that had happened?

But Shannon was already in her bedroom.

Maggie shook her head and walked into the kitchen. She peered into the refrigerator and wondered what she would fix for dinner. But she didn’t want any food right now. What she wanted was a nap.

Shannon entered the kitchen, hair swept up into a professional bun. She wore a knee-length skirt and a white blouse and brown blazer. Matching brown pumps completed her outfit. Maggie stared. “What are you all dressed up for?”

“I have a meeting in Bryson City. I’m thinking of getting a job nearby so I’m heading over there to talk to the CEO of an advertising firm there. Guess it’s time to see if I can put my degree to work again.” She shrugged. “I don’t have to work, of course, but what will I do all day without a job?” She held up a hand as though to forestall any protestations. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you out with Belle until then, but I need to find a job or I’ll be bored silly.”

“Oh.” Maggie blinked. “All right. Do you want to eat first? I was just thinking about fixing something.”

“No, thanks. It’s a dinner interview. I may be late.”

With a wave and a smile, she turned on her heel and went out the door.

Relieved to have some time for herself to just think, Maggie’s brain tumbled like crazy as she’d rocked Belle to sleep.

Once Belle was down, Maggie grabbed a quick shower. Coming out of the bathroom, weariness tugged at her. Her bed tempted her. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. She’d like nothing more than to curl up on her own bed, pull the covers over her head and hide from the world.

But she couldn’t. Because something kept niggling at her. She pulled her still-damp hair up in a ponytail and walked into her office. She spent the next forty-five minutes working on school paperwork to prepare for the three meetings she had next week.

Maggie shivered. The hole in her window had been covered with plastic, but it was still cold in the house. She hoped the window was fixed fast.

A knock on her door pulled her from the computer and into the foyer. She opened the door to find Reese standing there looking battle-worn and tired. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He held up several bags of food.

She inhaled and her stomach rumbled. “I smell something good.”

“I didn’t figure you felt much like putting together anything, so I had one of Holly’s helpers bring this out.”

Touched by his thoughtful gesture, she opened the door wider. “You seem to like bringing food to my house.”

He lifted a brow and smiled. “Gives me an excuse to see you.”

Maggie felt the flush rise on her cheeks. “You don’t need an excuse. And don’t worry, I’m not complaining. I appreciate it. Come on in.” She took the bags into the kitchen, set them on the counter and said, “Come with me.”

At his questioning look, she pointed to his cheek. “You never had anyone clean that up, did you?”

He raised his hand and touched the wound, surprise in his eyes. “No, I guess not. I forgot about it.”

“I have a first aid kit in my bathroom. Let’s wash that before it gets infected.”

“I can take care of it later.”

She paused and looked into his eyes. “Reese, I can’t stop bank robbers and I can’t chase down men with guns, and I can’t even do much to protect myself against someone who wants to hurt me and Belle.” She bit her lip. “But this is one thing I can do for you. Will you let me?”

At her gentle question, his expression turned tender. He gave a slow nod. “Sure.”

He followed her into the master bedroom and on into the bathroom where he seated himself on the edge of the tub. “It’s cold in here. Are you sure Belle’s warm enough?”

Maggie smiled. “I put the little portable heater in her room. She’s fine.”

Maggie opened the small linen closet, pulled out the hard plastic box that held all her first aid items and placed it next to the sink. She held a washcloth under the warm water and felt Reese’s eyes following her every movement.

It made her extremely self-conscious, and her fingers trembled as she held the washcloth to the wound, soaking away the dried blood. His hand came up to cover hers and he said, “Thank you.”

Her smile felt shaky, but she forced it wider. “Sure.” She pulled the washcloth away and tossed it into the dirty clothes basket. After applying some antibiotic cream, she opened a small bandage and placed it over the cut. His hands came up to rest on her shoulders, his face inches from hers.

All of a sudden the bathroom felt too small, his size dwarfing her, his presence surrounding her. His right hand slid from her shoulder to cup her chin. Then he leaned down and placed his lips over hers. A gentle caress filled with gratitude, comfort...and a restrained passion.

She went still, savoring his nearness, the security he represented, relishing everything about him. When he lifted his head, she simply stared up at him. He gave a small sigh. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while now, but was afraid if I did you’d smack me.”

Maggie couldn’t help the smile that slid across her tingling lips. “I’m not going to complain.”

Full-fledged laughter rumbled from his chest and he pulled her close for a hug. She rested her head against him. “Thank you for all you’re doing, Reese. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know what—”

His finger over her lips cut her off. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Maggie nodded. Another rumble sounded and she giggled. “Are you hungry?”

“Starved,” he admitted with a self-conscious quirk to his lips.

She closed the first aid kit and opened the linen closet once again. She moved aside a few towels and placed the box on the shelf.

Then Reese looked up, studying her. “You okay?”

“I will be.” Maybe. When time passed and this was all behind her. Assuming she was still alive at that point. Together, they walked into the kitchen.

“I need to ask you a few questions,” he said.

She frowned. “Okay.”

“I’ve been thinking about something for about the past thirty minutes.”

“What’s that?”

“Your husband’s murder.”

THIRTEEN

H
e saw her flinch and regretted the lack of finesse in his delivery. Reese rushed to apologize. “I’m sorry. Let me back up a bit.”

She waved his apology away as she set the food on the table. Maggie waited while Reese said grace then asked, “It’s all right. What do you want to know?”

“I’ve been going over and over this bank robbery in my mind. Plus I’ve watched the security videos. I’ve played it scene by scene. The robbery, your response. My response. And something keeps nagging at me.”

“What?”

“That’s the problem. I don’t know. I always say the best way to solve a case is good investigative work and listening when your gut sends you warning signals. My gut is sending signals and is telling me to find out more information about your husband and the possible suspects involved. Will you tell me what happened? Everything you remember about the night he died? Who the police questioned—everything.”

Maggie wiped nonexistent crumbs from the table and sighed. “You could look it up. It’s all in the police report.”

“I want to hear it from you. You’ll give me stuff I can’t get from the file.”

Maggie glanced down the hall toward the nursery and he figured she was calculating how much time she had before the baby woke. “Fine.” She paused to take a bite of her sandwich.

While she nibbled at her food, Reese devoured his. He couldn’t remember if he’d had lunch or not.

He ate the last fry on his plate and studied her. She appeared fragile on the outside, but he’d witnessed her inner strength more than once. He realized that he admired her.

Once they were finished, she placed the dishes in the dishwasher while he tossed the empty food bags. She turned to say something.

And Belle hollered for attention.

Maggie snapped her mouth shut and started for the hall. Reese snagged her arm and took a deep breath as he felt the words hover on the tip of his tongue. He finally spit them out. “Let me.”

Before she had a chance to ask all the questions brewing in her eyes, he was down the hall and in the nursery.

Belle wasn’t unhappy. She was just awake and ready to get out of the crib. And Reese figured she probably needed a diaper change. When he’d found out Keira was pregnant, he’d read everything he could get his hands on about pregnancy and the first year with a baby. If he remembered correctly, the books said to change the baby upon waking.

“Hey, there, Belle, did you have a good nap?”

Her brown eyes went wide, then she smiled at him and his heart stuttered a beat.

Reese took a deep breath then slipped his hands under the small arms and picked her up. Then grimaced. Yep, the books were right on. A change would be the first order of business.

He laid her on the changing table and got to work while he talked to her. “Wish I could take a nap. You have it easy, kid. Hope you appreciate all your mom does for you.”

She waved a tiny fist at him and he caught it, staring at the perfect miniature. Small, perfect fingers and a beautifully shaped hand. Delicate. Fragile. Breakable.

And yet strong. Just like her mother.

Belle tried to roll off the table and Reese held her, keeping her in place. Keeping her safe. “Can’t do that darling,” he said. “You’d land on the floor and that would hurt.”

He shuddered at the thought of her being hurt. By accident or by someone who didn’t believe life was a precious gift and was willing to snatch it away. He fastened the first tab on the diaper, pulled her other leg down and managed to close the diaper and fasten the second tab. “Practicing on dolls doesn’t compare to the actual experience. Dolls don’t wriggle. You were a tough customer, sweetheart.”

He leaned over the baby and stared her in the eye, face to face, nose to nose. Belle went still as a rock, looking at him as if she wondered if he’d done everything right and if she dared move. He gave a low laugh, his heart light for the first time since he’d seen Maggie and Belle in the bank. “You’re awfully cute.”

As though she understood, Belle grinned, her brown eyes sparkling. Reese decided at that moment he’d never get his heart back.

* * *

Tears flooded Maggie’s eyes. Without a moment’s hesitation, she snatched the camera she’d left on Belle’s small table by the door and snapped a picture.

Still resting on his forearms, Reese looked over his shoulder and smiled. “What? You checking up on me? You think I need some help corralling a mere fifteen pounds of baby?”

His teasing words chased the tears away, and she shrugged, “Maybe.” Reese straightened and pulled Belle into his arms. To Maggie’s surprise, the baby seemed happy to be there. And Reese seemed fine having her there. “She’s nine months old today.”

He lifted a brow. “I’m guessing time goes fast.”

Maggie nodded. “Very.”

Belle kicked her legs and caught Reese in the stomach. He grunted. “I think she’s going to be a soccer player.”

“You would have been a great dad,” Maggie whispered the words.

Reese stilled. Then a huge sigh filtered from him and he dropped his head. Maggie wished she could snatch the words back. Then he lifted his head, a sad smile on his face. “I sure would have done my best.”

Relieved that her words hadn’t plunged him into the depths of sadness, Maggie nodded toward the den. “While Shannon is gone, you want to have that conversation?”

“Sure.” He handed Belle to her and she started down the hall to the den.

* * *

Reese rubbed his head and said. “Hey, do you mind if I help myself to a couple of those aspirin I saw in your medicine cabinet?”

She turned back to face him. Concern immediately clouded her eyes. “Of course I don’t mind. I’ll get them for you.”

“I can get them.” He smiled and headed to her bedroom. Once inside her bathroom, he opened the medicine cabinet and saw the bottle of aspirin sitting on the shelf to the side. He helped himself to two, almost took them, then stopped. They didn’t look right. Small round yellow tablets. He frowned and put the bottle back. Carrying the pills, he walked into the kitchen to find Maggie preparing a bottle for Belle. “Hey, these were in your aspirin bottle, but I don’t think they’re aspirin.”

Her brows pulled together in a frown as she studied the little yellow pills. “I’ve never seen those before. They must belong to Shannon.”

Still frowning, he said, “I’ll put them back. Just be careful when you go to get some aspirin.”

“Okay.”

Reese put the bottle back where he found it and returned to the kitchen to find Maggie standing there with a glass of tea and two little white pills. “I had these in my purse. I know for a fact that these are aspirin.”

He smiled his thanks and downed the two pills.

The door opened and shut and Reese saw Shannon stomp into the foyer. She paused when she saw him, turned on her heel and started down the hall.

Maggie lifted a brow in his direction and went after her sister-in-law. Keeping her voice low so she wouldn’t wake up Belle, he heard her ask, “Shannon? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just...nothing.”

“Something is,” he heard Maggie insist.

“My plans...changed.” A thud sounded and he imagined her tossing a shoe. “I sat there and waited and waited and he stood me up. Not even a stinking phone call.” He heard the woman blow out a disgusted sigh followed by another thud. “I’m just upset that I can’t do anything about it. Don’t worry about it, I’ll get over it.”

“I’m sorry. There’s some food in the fridge. There was plenty, and we couldn’t eat it all.”

“Thanks. I’m going to go change first.”

Maggie returned to the den where Reese now sat on the couch. She took the bottle of juice she’d carried with her from the kitchen and set it on the end table, then perched on the edge of the recliner, her eyes serious, face thoughtful as she tapped one foot against the floor. Belle sat in the exersaucer, bouncing and slapping at the various toys attached to the device.

Reese watched Maggie’s restlessness with compassion. He hated making her relive what he could tell were some pretty awful days. He seated himself on the couch. “Tell me about Kent’s job, his habits, who he hung around with.”

“Why?”

“Because someone’s after you. It may be related to the bank robbery—or it may be something else.”

She lifted a brow. “You think whoever killed him would wait six months to come after me? What would be the purpose of that?”

“I don’t know.” He stood and walked over to place his hands on her shoulders. “I’m just saying we need to consider everything. I don’t want to be blindsided, surprised because I ignored my gut. Sometimes what seems obvious...”

“...isn’t?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

Maggie bit her lip. “His and Shannon’s parents didn’t like me. They made no effort to be even halfway civil to me. They had in mind the girl they wanted him to marry. But for some reason, he wasn’t interested.” She snorted. “Well, I know now why he wasn’t interested. He knew he couldn’t browbeat her—” She chopped her sentence off and looked away.

Reese felt his gut clench and hastened to reassure her. “You were vulnerable, Maggie. Kent saw that and used it to his advantage. It’s not your fault.”

She blinked away the tears and nodded. “I know that now.” A sniff and a sigh and she had herself back under control. “So anyway, he was home a lot at first after we were married, but then I guess I started to bore him and he...um, found other ways to alleviate the boredom.”

“He had a girlfriend?”

“Girlfriends,”
she whispered.

Reese clenched a fist and wished he could plant it in the dead man’s face. “How did he die?”

“A hit-and-run car accident.”

“Only it wasn’t an accident.”

She blinked. “No. There was a witness, a homeless man who said he saw a man arguing with someone. He said the person Kent was arguing with stayed inside the car, so he couldn’t see the person. But then Kent slammed a fist on the hood of the car. He shouted something like ‘That’s final. That’s the way it’s going to be, get over it.’ And then started to walk away. The car with the other person accelerated and slammed into him. Kent died instantly. The car never stopped after it hit him.”

Reese rubbed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Maggie.”

“I don’t know who could have done that. One of the women he strung along. An irate husband or boyfriend. Someone he punched out in a bar.” She shrugged and shook her head. “It could have been any of a hundred people, Reese. There’s just no way to tell.”

“I don’t suppose your homeless guy got a license plate?”

She gave a humorless laugh. “No. He just said it was a green car.”

Reese frowned. “Sounds like a crime of passion, of opportunity.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, it doesn’t sound planned, premeditated. Like Kent was supposed to meet with the person in the other car, they had an argument and the person didn’t like what he had to say and acted in a fit of anger or rage.”

“Maybe.”

“Or not.” He shrugged. “It’s all speculation, but I’m really wondering if all this doesn’t have something to do with his murder.”

“Why are you going through all this? Why don’t you just let Kent rest in peace?” Shannon spoke from the door, her tone low, voice tight.

Maggie jerked her gaze to her sister-in-law. “Because if Reese is right, connecting Kent to the events going on around me will help us figure out exactly why someone is out to get me.”

Shannon sniffed then reached up to rub her eyes. “Are you listening to yourselves? How in the world could Kent’s death be linked to what’s going on with you?”

Maggie shook her head and looked at Reese. “I don’t know. Her question is a good one. How could Kent’s death six months ago have anything to do with a bank robbery gone wrong?”

He stood. “I have no idea, but I’m going to find out.”

* * *

The next morning, Reese sat at his desk working on the paperwork that comes with a shooting. It was being investigated even as he typed.

Eli opened the glass door and a gust of cold air blew in with him. “Hey, guys, let’s have a little powwow in the conference room.”

Reese lifted a brow at Cal and his friend shrugged. They followed Eli, with Jason bringing up the rear. Mitchell was the deputy assigned to Maggie’s house this morning. He’d just called to say Maggie’s broken window was fixed and all was well.

Once inside the conference room, Eli shut the door. “Have a seat.” He slapped a file folder on the table in front of him. “Well, we’ve got them all.”

Reese felt satisfaction run through him for a brief moment, but that satisfaction quickly turned to concern. Yes, they’d captured all three robbers. But they didn’t have the boss. “When do we get to question Patterson?”

“He’s at the hospital now. I tried talking to him last night, but he was drugged up and out of it. He’s got a nasty infection from your first gunshot wound. Asheville P.D. has a guard on his door. We’ll be making a little visit to the hospital shortly.”

Reese stood. “I’m going to call Maggie.” He stepped outside the conference room and dialed her number.

She answered on the third ring. “Hello?”

“Good morning, pretty lady.”

A low laugh reached him. “You sound awfully cheerful this morning.”

“Maybe that’s because we’re getting ready to go over to the hospital to question Patterson.”

For a moment, silence filled the line. Then she said, “What about the boss he mentioned? Have you found out anything about him?”

“Not yet, but I’ve got some ideas I plan to work with as soon I get back to the office. Eli’s still going to keep someone on your house. Right now it’s White. He was real apologetic for taking this assignment lightly.”

“He was?”

“Yeah. He caught me this morning. He apologized several times and promised he’d be vigilant in watching out for you. I believe him.”

“Okay, thanks...” She seemed at a loss for words.

“But don’t drop your guard yet, Maggie. I don’t think Patterson was all hot air when he was saying it’s not all over yet.”

“I won’t.” She paused. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thanks for everything.”

His throat tightened and he cleared it. “You’re welcome.” He hung up and pressed the phone into his forehead while he replayed Patterson’s parting comments.